Ensaios de micologia contribuição para o conhecimento das Esporotricoses

The author describes the forms found in material obtained from a human lesion localized in the mouth. The patient was a farmer and the diagnosis unknown. The author found yeast forms, some germinating, resembling those found in the mycosis of LUTZ. It was Sporotricosis and only once, in 96 cases, has the author found these fungous forms in the suspected material. The cultures in Sabouraud glucose and in many other media were positive for Sporotrichum, resembling that described by BENEDEK in 1926 (variety?) principally by the reddish colour of some cultures. The author thinks there is, perhaps, a mutation influenced by the surroundings and the light in certain cultures and that the dark pigment is the dominant one. He considers that the pigment will not do for the differentiation of species and that it is, really, Sporotrichum Schencki-Beurmanni. The author calls attention to the question of diagnosis and studies separately, each of the elements in which his opinion is based, finding that only a macro and microscopic study of the cultures decides the question.

O nódulo atrioventricular e o feixe de his no homem

A demonstração do nódulo atrioventricular e do feixe de His, no coração humano, não oferece dificuldade especial, uma vez que seja seguida a técnica consagrada. A negação da sua existência, feita há cêrca de 20 anos atraz, é atribuível à não observância dêsse cuidado. A documentação apresentada refere-se a um paciente do sexo feminino, de côr branca, com 36 anos de idade, não infectado pelo Schizotrypanum cruzi, cujo coração pesava 310 g, sendo considerado macro e microscòpicamente, normal. Destina-se ela a servir de têrmo de comparação para a que será publicada, oportunamente, sôbre a cardiopatia crônica na doença de Chagas. Confirmamos o que dizem muitos autores quando assinalam a ausência completa de células ganglionares e de nervos, no nódulo atrioventricular, no tronco comum do feixe His e em seus dois ramos, quando observados no homem. Contrasta isso, fortemente, com o que existe, nas mesmas estruturas, no coração dos ungulados. Verificamos, não raramente, continuidade entre fibras musculares do tecido específico, no ramo esquerdo do feixe de His e fibras musculares ventriculares, sendo o ramo esquerdo constituído, em certa proporção, por fibras com caracters intermediários entre fibras musculares ordinárias e fibras de Purkinje (fibras de transição). Algumas vêzes fibras com características das de Purkinie aparecem em grupos musculares do septo ventricular imediatamente adjacentes ao ramo esquerdo, dificultando a demarcação exata daquele ramo. Reproduzimos, textualmente, pontos de mior interêsse, na literatura consultada, quando receavamos que a tradução não pudesse traduzir o pensamento exato do autor ou pudesse dar tal impressão.

Determination and control of schistosomiasis

The subject of this conference reflects the scientific community's interest in seeking to understand the complex causal web whose various social, economic, and biological components interact in the production and reproduction of schistosomiasis and its control in relation to community participation. From the onset, the author stresses the impossibility of dealing separately with community participation, as if social components were just one more "weapon" in the arsenal for schistosomiasis control. This study begins with a brief historical review of the 71 years of control activities with this endemic disease, stressing the enormous efforts and huge expenditures in this field vis-à-vis the limited results, despite the extraordinary technological development of specific, classical control inputs such as new treatment drugs and molluscicides. The article then discusses the various strategies used in control programs, emphasizing ideological consistencies and contradictions. Interactions at the macro and micro levels are discussed, as are the determinants and risk factors involved in producing the disease's endemicity. Unequal occupation of space leaves the segregated portion of the population exposed to extremely favorable conditions for transmission of the disease. This raises the issue of how to control an endemic disease which is so closely linked to the way of life imposed on the population. The study challenges the classical control model and suggests an alternative model now undergoing medium-term investigation in the States of Espirito Santo, and Pernambuco, Brazil. The author concludes that we do not need new strategies, but a new control model, contrary to the prevailing classical model in both concept and practice. From the conceptual point of view, the new model mentioned above is different from others in that schistosomiasis control is seen from a social perspective stressing the population's accumulated knowledge in addition to the building of shared knowledge. The model's praxis has the following characteristics: (1) it is integrated with and financed by research agencies and health services; (2) it operates at the local health services level; (3) use of molluscicides has been eliminated; (4) emphasis is given to individual medical treatment and improvement of sanitary conditions.

Education for science and science for education: more than a play upon words

In the celebration of the Oswaldo Cruz Institute centenary, we wanted to stress our concern with the relationship between two of its missions: research and education. What are the educational bases required for science and technology activities on health sciences for the future years? How can scientists collaborate to promote the popularization of academic knowledge and to improve a basic education for citizenship in an ethic and humanistic view? In this article we pointed out to need of commitment, even in the biomedical post-graduation level, of a more integrated philosophy that would be centered on health education, assuming health as a dynamic biological and social equilibrium and emphasizing the need of scientific popularization of science in a cooperative construction way, instead of direct transfer of knowledge, preserving also macro views of health problems in the development of very specific studies. The contemporary explosion of knowledge, particularly biological knowledge, imposes a need of continuous education to face the growing illiteracy. In order to face this challenge, we think that the Oswaldo Cruz Institute honors his dialectic profile of tradition and transformation, always creating new perspectives to disseminate scientific culture in innovated forms.

Schistosomiasis mansoni in Bananal (State of São Paulo, Brazil): IV. Study on the public awareness of its risks in the Palha District

A rather high prevalence of mansoni schistosomiasis has been observed in some localities of Bananal, State of São Paulo, during the past decade. The highest prevalence of schistosomiasis was found in the Palha District; it was thus considered adequate for an evaluation of public awareness of the risks involved in acquiring schistosomiasis, a likely outcome of certain behavior patterns. We interviewed 542 district-dwellers. The 5-to-39 age-group constituted 65.5% of the whole sample. Concerning the infection, 69.2% had hearsay information; 46.1% know the infection; 69.6% know how it is acquired; 31.5% know about the symptoms and 57.1% know what can be done to avoid infection; 17.7% declared to have acquired the infection at least once in their lifetime; 62.3% reported total or partial immersion in collections of water of Bananal, once or twice a week, 53.9% of these for bathing or fishing. Although most (91.7%) households have treated running water, are connected to the sewage network or have septic tanks, 9% of the people interviewed use to defecate on the field. It became clear that the educational messages aimed at this population had not been adequate, having failed to fulfil any expectations. The local people received only piecemeal and subjective information about their problem. The control of schistosomiasis requires an integrated practice, which includes the analysis of macro-determinant factors, such as basic sanitation, habitation, education and health care. In short, we require a multidisciplinary vision of the mechanisms of transmission of the infection, which depends upon adequate planning and well trained personnel, intent on their educational work, to attain satisfactory results.

Dispersal of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) in an urban endemic dengue area in the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Experimental releases of female Aedes (Stegomyia) aegypti and Aedes (Stegomyia) albopictus were performed in August and September 1999, in an urban area of Nova Iguaçu, State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to estimate their flight range in a circular area of 1,600 m where 1,472 ovitraps were set. Releases of 3,055 Ae. aegypti and 2,225 Ae. albopictus females, fed with rubidium (Rb)-marked blood and surgically prevented from subsequent blood-feeding, were separated by 11 days. Rb was detected in ovitrap-collected eggs by atomic emission spectrophotometry. Rb-marked eggs of both species were detected up to 800 m from the release point. Eggs of Ae. albopictus were more numerous and more heterogeneously distributed in the area than those of Ae. aegypti. Eggs positively marked for Rb were found at all borders of the study area, suggesting that egg laying also occurred beyond these limits. Results from this study suggest that females can fly at least 800 m in 6 days and, if infected, potentially spread virus rapidly.

Susceptibility of clinical isolates of multiresistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa to a hospital disinfectant and molecular typing

The aim of this study was to evaluate the susceptibility of 35 resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa clinical isolates to a quaternary ammonium hospital disinfectant. The methodology was the AOAC Use-Dilution Test, with disinfectant at its use-concentration. In addition, the chromosomal DNA profile of the isolates were determined by macro-restriction pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) method aiming to verify the relatedness among them and the behavior of isolates from the same group regarding the susceptibility to the disinfectant. Seventy one percent of the isolates were multiresistant to antibiotics and 43% showed a reduced susceptibility to the disinfectant. The PFGE methodology detected 18 major clonal groups. We found isolates with reduced susceptibility to the disinfectant and we think that these are worrying data that should be further investigated including different organisms and chemical agents in order to demonstrate that microorganisms can be destroyed by biocide as necessary. We also found strains of the same clonal groups showing different susceptibility to the disinfectant. This is an interesting observation considering that only few works are available about this subject. PFGE profile seems not to be a reliable marker for resistance to disinfectants.

Dispersal pattern of the sand fly Lutzomyia neivai (Diptera: Psychodidae) in a cutaneous leishmaniasis endemic rural area in Southeastern Brazil

The dispersal pattern of the sand fly Lutzomyia neivai was studied through mark-release-recapture experiments in an American cutaneous leishmaniasis endemic rural area in Southeastern Brazil. Over 6500 specimens were marked with fluorescent powder and released in forest edge and peridomicile habitats from August to November 1999, February and April 2000. Recapture attempts were made using Shannon and CDC traps up to eight successive nights after releases. A total of 493 (7.58%) specimens were recaptured. The number of recaptured males and females of L. neivai in CDC traps was not affected by the distance between the trap and the release points. Approximately 90% of males and females recaptured in CDC traps were caught up to 70 m from the release points. The maximum female flight range recorded was 128 m. The average flight range per day was less than 60 m for males and females. Of the flies released in forest edge, approximately 16% of the recaptured females were caught in Shannon traps in the peridomicile habitat. The results indicate that the movements of L. neivai are spatially focal and the possibility of dispersion from forest to peridomicile habitat may be an important way of contracting leishmaniasis in dwellings.

Identification and molecular characterization of Van A-type vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis in Northeast of Brazil

The isolation of vancomycin resistant enterococci (VRE) in Brazil has rapidly increased, following the world wide tendency. We report in the present study the first isolation of vancomycin resistant Enterococcus faecalis (VRE) in the Northeast of Brazil. The four VRE isolates were characterized for antimicrobial susceptibility, genotypic typing by macro restriction of chromosomal DNA followed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and for characterization of the Tn1546-like element and plasmid contents. The isolates showed resistance to multiple antibiotics and a single genotype profile, suggesting the dissemination of a single clone among the patients. Tn1546 associated to genetic elements as plasmids shows the importance of infection control measures to avoid the spreading of glycopetide resistance by conjugative transfer of VanA elements.

Morphological and biochemical characterization of the aetiological agents of white piedra

The Trichosporon genus is constituted by many species, of which Trichosporon ovoides and Trichosporon inkin are the causative agents of white piedra. They can cause nodules in genital hair or on the scalp. At present, Brazilian laboratory routines generally do not include the identification of the species of Trichosporon genus, which, although morphologically and physiologically distinct, present many similarities, making the identification difficult. The aim of this study was to identify the aetiological agents at the species level of white piedra from clinical specimens. Therefore, both the macro and micro morphology were studied, and physiological tests were performed. Trichosporon spp. was isolated from 10 clinical samples; T. ovoides was predominant, as it was found in seven samples, while T. inkin was identified just in two samples. One isolate could not be identified at the species level. T. inkin was identified for the first time as a white piedra agent in the hair shaft on child under the age of 10.

Assessing key safety concerns of a Wolbachia-based strategy to control dengue transmission by Aedes mosquitoes

Mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue fever, chikungunya or malaria affect millions of people each year and control solutions are urgently needed. An international research program is currently being developed that relies on the introduction of the bacterial endosymbiont Wolbachia pipientis into Aedes aegypti to control dengue transmission. In order to prepare for open-field testing releases of Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes, an intensive social research and community engagement program was undertaken in Cairns, Northern Australia. The most common concern expressed by the diverse range of community members and stakeholders surveyed was the necessity of assuring the safety of the proposed approach for humans, animals and the environment. To address these concerns a series of safety experiments were undertaken. We report in this paper on the experimental data obtained, discuss the limitations of experimental risk assessment and focus on the necessity of including community concerns in scientific research.

Antifungal activity of extracts from Atacama Desert fungi againstParacoccidioides brasiliensis and identification ofAspergillus felis as a promising source of natural bioactive compounds

Fungi of the genus Paracoccidioides are responsible for paracoccidioidomycosis. The occurrence of drug toxicity and relapse in this disease justify the development of new antifungal agents. Compounds extracted from fungal extract have showing antifungal activity. Extracts of 78 fungi isolated from rocks of the Atacama Desert were tested in a microdilution assay against Paracoccidioides brasiliensis Pb18. Approximately 18% (5) of the extracts showed minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values≤ 125.0 µg/mL. Among these, extract from the fungus UFMGCB 8030 demonstrated the best results, with an MIC of 15.6 µg/mL. This isolate was identified as Aspergillus felis (by macro and micromorphologies, and internal transcribed spacer, β-tubulin, and ribosomal polymerase II gene analyses) and was grown in five different culture media and extracted with various solvents to optimise its antifungal activity. Potato dextrose agar culture and dichloromethane extraction resulted in an MIC of 1.9 µg/mL against P. brasiliensis and did not show cytotoxicity at the concentrations tested in normal mammalian cell (Vero). This extract was subjected to bioassay-guided fractionation using analytical C18RP-high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and an antifungal assay using P. brasiliensis. Analysis of the active fractions by HPLC-high resolution mass spectrometry allowed us to identify the antifungal agents present in the A. felis extracts cytochalasins. These results reveal the potential of A. felis as a producer of bioactive compounds with antifungal activity.

Reflections on a decade of microfoundations research

ABSTRACT I briefly take stock on the microfoundations project which has become influential in macro-management research over the past decade or so. While the project has now moved into distinct theory-building, it still need to engage in serious empirical research. I discuss a number of challenges and solutions associated with the empirical side of microfoundations.

Sistema de significados sobre a finalidade do trabalho na Saúde da Família: uma abordagem qualitativa

Trata-se de um estudo exploratório e descritivo, com abordagem qualitativa, objetivando compreender o sistema de significados sobre a finalidade do trabalho de enfermeiros e médicos das equipes da Saúde da Família, nas cidades de Rio Grande e Pelotas. A entrevista semidirigida, individual e gravada, foi utilizada na coleta dos dados, seguindo-se uma análise temática dos depoimentos de 82 participantes. O significado nuclear da finalidade, como fim transmutado em produto do trabalho coletivo, mostrou-se alinhado com a possibilidade de mudanças e aquisição de comportamentos individuais e coletivos saudáveis por parte da comunidade, evidenciando-se o componente da eticidade no processo, por meio de categorias como a solidariedade e a compaixão. Disso decorreu, na produção textual, um marcador da condição humana na construção da finalidade do trabalho. Por meio da análise e discussão crítica da temática, este estudo contribui para a dimensão macro da formação de competências e adequação às necessidades sociais de saúde.

Qualidade do Sistema de Informações de Nascidos Vivos no estado do Paraná, 2000 a 2005

Analisou-se a qualidade do Sistema de Informações de Nascidos Vivos no Estado do Paraná, de 2000 a 2005, por meio do percentual de não declaração das variáveis, utilizando banco de dados cedido pela Secretaria de Saúde de Estado. Utilizou-se a seguinte escala: excelente, percentual de não declaração < 1%; boa de 1% a 2,99%; regular de 3% a 6,99% e ruim > 7%. A qualidade do preenchimento do SINASC no Paraná foi excelente, principalmente a partir de 2003. A ocupação da mãe, classificada como regular e ruim, foi a variável de menor qualidade em todas as Macro-Regionais de Saúde. Filhos nascidos vivos, nascidos mortos e raça/cor, oscilaram de ruim a excelente qualidade. É necessário melhorar a qualidade das variáveis estado civil e número de filhos nascidos mortos em todas as Macro-Regionais de Saúde. A excelência do SINASC demonstrou a sua potencialidade como fonte de informação da saúde no Paraná.